


Love's Foally

by TheGoliathBeetle



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Cute Animals, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of addiction recovery, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:54:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23102818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoliathBeetle/pseuds/TheGoliathBeetle
Summary: Jesper comes home with an unexpected friend.
Relationships: Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck
Comments: 3
Kudos: 71





	Love's Foally

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sarai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarai/gifts).



> Love’s Folly, get it? Get it?
> 
> Did I pun on the title and give away the whole damn plot? Yes, yes I did. This is for Sarai, who writes AMAZING Wesper fics (like you NEED to check them out asap). She requested Wesper with a cute animal and that’s three good reasons to write my first ever SOC fic. (The three being, specifically, Wylan, Jesper, and Cute Animal, in case that wasn’t clear.)
> 
> Pairing: Wesper (obviously)  
> TW: Light mentions of addiction recovery (gambling, alcohol).

Jesper had been missing all morning. 

This wasn’t by itself a cause for concern. He was a big boy and a crack shot and he could look after himself. But Wylan still worried. Jesper could get so…so lost in his own head, so anxious, so self-destructive, and he just didn’t want to find the love of his life hungover and slumped in some alley, having lost all his money, his pistols, and his boots to some idiot in a gambling den. 

Nevertheless, Wylan didn’t want to be the kind of over-protective, hovering boyfriend he sometimes feared he was. Jesper was recovering, and it was hard sometimes, but they trusted each other. That had to count for something. He wouldn’t belittle Jesper’s resolve to get better by fretting like this. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t. 

It did mean that there was nobody to read his paperwork to him, but Wylan had wanted a break anyway. The last few months had been hectic, trying to reorganise his father’s exploitative businesses. And if Wylan was getting overwhelmed, Jesper was going stir crazy. They’d had an argument the previous morning. It was about redecorating their bedroom or somesuch and it was so stupid, Wylan couldn’t believe they’d actually snarled at each other about paisely bedspreads. They’d apologised later in the day and laughed about it at night, but it was clear that both of them needed some time off. There was some relief in knowing that Jesper had _gone for a walk, be back by lunch,_ as he'd whispered in Wylan's ear when he was half-asleep. It might actually help him.  
  
Wylan occupied himself by practising his music and snacking on little cakes that the cook had been saving for their dinner. He looked at some mail-in fashion catalogues that Jesper had subscribed to, raising his eyebrow at the garish costumes his boyfriend would love. Maybe he’d buy some of these as a surprise…Jesper would be so happy. 

Eventually, Wylan decided to take a walk around the mansion’s lawns. It was such an expansive property. As a boy, his favourite place to get away from his father or his vicious tutors was the gazebo. He’d run there, trailing tears, and stay there until he’d calmed down, or until someone dragged him back inside. Now he sat on its step, stretching to allow his spine to pop. Then he sat back, leaning on his hands, watching the butterflies among the flowerbeds.   
  
He spotted Jesper then, emerging from the stables to fill a pail of water from the garden hose. 

“JES!” he called across the lawn, and Jesper looked up and grinned. They waved at each other.

“C’MERE!” Jesper called, beckoning him with a hand. As Wylan approached, his smile diminished to something more nervous. “So, Wy,” he started, “don’t be mad. I did something.”

“Oh, no.” Wylan’s eyes searched him for injuries, for his pistols, for any sign that Jesper was drunk, or that he’d been gambling. But Jesper just shook his head.   
  
“It’s not what you’re thinking. Come on, Wy, have some faith.” Luckily he didn’t sound angry, though Wylan believed Jesper had the right to be. 

Wylan looked to his shoes. “Sorry. I–you know, I just worry. I trust you. I have faith. I love you.” 

“It’s fine,” Jesper sighed. “It’s been a rough few months, but I’m better. I’ll prove that to you every single day. I love you too.” He leaned in for a quick kiss, but pulled away swiftly. The nervous smile was back. “So, anyway, this thing I did.”

“Yes, tell me.”

“So I was out, just wandering. Looked at the shops, had a coffee, having a nice, relaxing morning. And what do I see?” It was a rhetorical question, obviously, so Wylan didn’t interrupt. “I see this little…it’s like, a newborn! Maybe a few weeks old, but it’s _little_ , Wy. I think it got separated from its mother, or maybe the mother died. Or maybe it’s from those awful traders who abuse their animals, I don’t know, but it was wandering the street and I got really worried, so I…”

Wylan was peering over Jesper’s shoulder, into the stables, where among nine healthy, shining horses, was a ragged looking foal. It was black-furred, but Wylan could still see the dirt sticking out prominently across its body. There were scabs near its hooves and what looked like either blood or tar in its mane. 

Jesper caught him staring and turned. They both regarded the little thing. “I know we said no more horses, but I couldn’t help it. Look at the little guy! He would have died on his own!” As if to press this point harder, Jesper went over to the foal and set the pail down before him. “Hey, little fellow,” he cooed, “I want you to have all this water, okay?” He stroked its neck as the foal lowered his head to drink. “That’s a good boy, that’s a very good boy. Come here,” he gestured to Wylan. “Touch him.” 

Hesitantly, Wylan approached, his arm outstretched. His father had always liked prize horses, but Wylan himself hadn’t been too comfortable around them. The foal didn’t seem to acknowledge him at all, so Wylan was a little more confident in petting him. “He’ll need a vet, you think?” he asked finally, signalling that of course, it was fine if they kept this one.   
  
It was worth it to see Jesper’s face light up. He yanked Wylan into a hug and kissed his forehead. “You’re such an angel, thank you! Yes, I think a vet might be a good idea. See how he drinks?” Jesper indicated to the way the baby was still lapping water. “He probably hasn’t received enough milk from his mom. And he’s underweight. He also has these scratches on his hind legs that I’m worried might get infected. I can nurse him back to health but it’s probably wiser to have a professional look at him first.”

* * *

Jesper had been missing all morning. Again. Wylan couldn’t help but smile as he took his tea in the gazebo today. He watched his beautiful boyfriend leading Barkley–that was what Jesper had named the foal–around the lawn for his daily exercise. Now that Barkley had been cleaned and fed, and his wounds patched up, he was making a quick recovery, even putting on some much-needed weight. 

“You are such a beautiful, perfect little baby,” Wylan heard Jesper coo as they stopped, leaning forward to kiss Barkley between the eyes. “Who’s the best little baby? That’s you, that’s you, my sweet sugar cube.” 

Barkley bumped his head into Jesper’s shoulder. Wylan couldn’t help but smile. Jesper was so good with animals. They recognised his warmth, the same way Wylan had when they’d first met. 

He drained his cup and went running towards the pair of them. 


End file.
